Good morning from Dieline’s editor-in-chief, Bill McCool. Here’s your daily side serving of design news, short musings, brand stuff, and forgotten ephemera.
Rudy has long been fixated on the design and branding of the supplements Alex Jones promoted on Infowars, and watching its new owner at The Onion make ridiculously similar parody products has been hilarious. Case in point: Hogwater, which is now a reality! Rudy spoke with the Marz Community Brewing about bringing the ciggie-tasting beverage to life. I’m drinking it to thrive AND survive!
I can understand that the last person you want to hear whine about AI is a DC policy wonk, but this is a good interview with OpenAI’s former safety transparency lead, David Robinson. His central argument is that we need to think carefully and urgently about the kind of future we want to build. I fear that we no longer have anyone capable, at least in the US, who can genuinely do this. Essential listening.
Are we putting fruit stickers on ballet flats now?
There are frivolous lawsuits, and then there are frivolous lawsuits that result in Reese’s having to add a disclaimer to its Peanut Butter Pumpkins’ packaging saying “Carving not on actual product: because someone considered this deceptive marketing.
Dude, incredible: ambient TV is a $4 billion-plus global market, and both streamers and TV manufacturers are going all in on what are essentially screensavers with the more-than-occasional ad. I’ve talked a bunch about the great ruining of Roku City, but marketers are licking their chops over the poor defenseless souls who just want a little chill with a burning yule log...and whammo, “your protective shields against advertisements are down because it’s relaxing.” Anywho, this is the ambient TV I miss:
Supposedly, 48% of Britons think of themselves as introverts, and now, Sweden, allegedly the most introverted country on the planet, wants to help them find a little solitude-induced R&R. Now, Visit Sweden has created a campaign with a commercial from the “Introverted Travel Agency.” It perfectly showcases what Sweden has to offer, without all the face time. Personally, I didn’t know Sweden had a reputation for being so broody (no shade), but then again, these are the same people who gifted us with Ingmar Bergman. What was I expecting!
Incidentally, you should watch Bergman Island. Imagine going on a “Bergman Safari.” Miserable, I tell you! And I love him!
Love the silver emblem on House of Callaghan, but boy, I sure wish this beer was real.
About time someone put the fingerbutt to work. Though, to be fair, they must have stolen this from the Hot Ones episode with Paul Rudd. My wife and I would send these pics to each other for months. It’s good to learn new skills!
Happy Th-Herrs-day.
-Bill